Listen
by StoriesOfANobody
Summary: Leonardo goes out to clear his mind after an nearly disasterous mission. He finds comfort and rationality in someone he least expects.


**A/N: I have arrived in the fandom with a fanfiction and a slightly OOC Karai! Or maybe she's not OOC at all, but simply trying to gain Leo's trust and learn more about the Kraang. Who knows? **

**This...this just kind of happened one day. I was letting my mind do what it wanted and it wrote this. I apologize if you hate it.**

**Also April is not in this stoy. Sorry, I'm still trying to figure her out. Tell me your secrets, O'Niel! **

Sensei told me there is a secret to loving someone. Responsibility, faithfulness, courage, strength, and most of all, willingness to do whatever it takes. Whether it be as serious as taking a knife to your gut or as easy as listening to what they have to say, you have to be prepared to do it for the ones you love. I always prepared to be the one who took the knife or consoled the sad. I wasn't prepared for the other way around.

I was out one night, chilling on a rooftop above a large party. It was raining a soft drizzle and dark clouds covered the sky. The colored lights lit up the area but not my shaded spot. Over the sickening smell of greasy fast food, I smelled the salty ocean air and the fresh scent of rain. To my sensitive ears, the people conversing below were deafening. I didn't care. I just needed to be away from my doubtful brothers who had yet again fallen into a world of distrust with my leadership. I had to get away before they started to yell at me.

Donatello had slipped up. Or maybe I did. He came close to getting his head blown off today. I felt horrible. Not only had I failed as a leader, but as a brother. There wasn't a soul I could talk to, since everyone was pretty cross right now. Sensei was too busy caring for Donnie to do anything else.

As I numbly went through katas to calm myself, a different smell assaults my nose. The spicy aroma of cinnamon is almost hidden by the other smells. I know that scent better than I know this kata. I tilt my head skyward to get a better sniff and instantly have a blade at my throat.

"Well, I didn't expect to see you here," a sultry voice whispers into my ear. Instead of turning me on, it annoys me.

"Go away. I'm not in the mood," I reply, reaching up and moving the dagger away from my neck. I continue the exercise without a glance to my attacker.

"Rude," she grumbles. By sound alone, I know she has seated herself on the roof. I really don't want to fight Karai tonight. I don't want to deal with all the drama. I just want to stab imaginary enemies until I feel better.

Silence falls over us. The joyful sounds that float upward irritates me. I put more force behind my strikes. Karai leaves and suddenly the happy noises are replaced with sounds of shock and confusion. When she returns, a delicious smell wafts away from her.

I am ashamed to say my curiosity gets the best of me. I turn my head and forget the next stance.

"Want some? They're really good." Karai offers a fluffy, donut-like pastry to me. It's covered in white powder of some sort. Before I realize it, I've dragged myself over to the side and plopped down beside her. She hands me one out of a small bowl with a grin.

I don't know why she hasn't left or attacked me. It's weird. If I'm completely honest with myself, I'm very glad whatever weirdness invoked this exists. I need someone to sit and talk with me not insult and fight.

"Can we forget about the rivalry?" I ask suddenly, neglecting the dessert in my hand. She looks amused.

"Juat for tonight? I guess I can do that," she answers and before I get too comfortable, she adds, "And anyway, there's no fun in killing someone who's got no will to fight."

Satisfied that whatever's in my hand is not poisoned, I pop in it my mouth. Karai watches me out of the corner of her eye.

The pastry melts like butter in my mouth. It's warm and soft. There's enough sugar in it to send Mikey to the moon. I hum in pleasure. It's delicious.

My companion snickers as I reach for more.

"What are these?" She hands me another.

"It's a zeppole," Karai says, biting into one. The powder gets all over her lips. It's probably on my face too, looking even more ridiculous as it blends with the green.

"They're Italian, I think. Shedder always has them at his banquets. They're his favorite."

I feel a little odd by sharing a common ground with the Shedder. Then I almost laugh at the idea of a powerful enemy liking such an angelic treat.

"Shedder has banquets? Why, to celebrate my brothers and my near death experiences?" I joke darkly.

"You'd be surprised by how eager he is to throw a party," Karai replies. The bowl is now empty, but neither of us move.

Finally, she speaks up. "So you want to tell me why you're out here in the rain at two in the morning?"

Shifting so I can prop myself up on my elbow, I sigh. "I messed up, Karai. Really bad messed up. My brother almost died today."

"The great and fearless leader mess up? I don't believe it," says Karai. She wants more information. I suppose it couldn't hurt. It was a simple Kraang invesigation.

"We were on a mission, fighting the Kraang. There were dozens of bots but I thought we could hold them off. I told Donatello I would cover him while he gathered some documents. I have my back turned for a fraction of a second and the next thing I know, Donnie is down. The Kraang hit him hard." I pointed to my left blade shoulder. "Blasted him. I got to him before anything else happened but if he had of moved a little slower he would've been dead."

Karai looks sympathetic for a fleeting moment. She tosses the styrofoam bowl to the ground.

"I can't say I know the feeling, Leo. I've never had anyone I watched over in battle except for myself. But if anyone ever did that to me, I'd be getting revenge."

"Karai, I can't put myself at risk for a little pay back," I state firmly. She nods.

"I know," she says. "And if you can't get revenge, you have to learn to things like that go. It's over and done with so why are you here moping instead of enjoying the fact you still have something left?"

"Because at the moment everyone hates at me," I tell her, feeling miserable again. She looks over at me with a serious expression.

"I don't hate you."

Startled, I stare wide eyed at her. I've tried multiple times to kill her and vice versa. We are rivals. We are enemies. Yet here we are, sitting on a rooftop above a street fair and she's telling me she doesn't hate me after all.

"I find that hard to believe." She stands and pats my head.

"Good," Karai says quietly. "I don't know much about family, Leo, but I know they can't hate. They can get pretty angry with you, but if they are your real family, they can't hate you."

I am quiet for a second as I think. She's right. I could never hate my brothers or my father. Never. They have made me so furious sometimes, but I love them anyway. So shouldn't it be the same the other way around?

"Hey, wait, did you pay for those treats?" I say. Karai just smirks and waves. She leaps backwards of the building, never turning her back on me. I am the enemy again.

It is with a smile that I dole out what little change I have and place it on the vender's table while his back is turned. It isn't nearly enough, but it's the best I can do.

When I arrive home, everyone is relieved. They were worried when they couldn't find me. Donnie is patched up and conscious.

"I'm sorry. I understand of you want me to step down from my position as leader."

Donnie just beams. "Are you kidding? Because you fought so hard, I got tons of information on the Kraang!"

Raphael gestures to his wounded shoulder. "Besides, chicks dig scars. April will think it's manly."

"Accidents happen, Leonardo. I am just glad all my sons are alive and home," Sensei tells me. Mikey is happily bouncing around me, insisting that we get pizza to celebrate. Raphael sticks close to Donatello, trying to hide the fact he was worried.

"You...you all forgive me?" I ask. They nod.

"What, did you think that we hated you or something, fearless?" With a smile and a blush, I join my brothers on the couch as Michelangelo rambles to Father.

My family is not perfect or normal. It is loving and forgiving. It is understanding. I will protect it the very best of my ability until my last breathe.


End file.
